Equality and Diversity Calendar

This calendar includes a mixture of religious festivals as well as equality, diversity & inclusion related events and key dates and is not intended to be a prescriptive list. Please feel free to contact the College lead on Equality and Diversity to suggest other noteworthy dates.

January 2022

Veganuary

Thursday 6 – Epiphany (Christianity) Commemoration of the Magi’s visit to the infant Jesus.
Friday 7 – Christmas (Coptic Orthodox)
Friday 14 – New Year (Orthodox)
Friday 14 – Maghi (Sikh) Commemorates martyrdom of forty Sikhs
Tuesday 25 – Burns night
Thursday 27 – Holocaust Memorial Day
Monday 31 – Lunar New Year’s Eve

February 2022

LGBT+ History Month

Tuesday 1 – Chinese New Year
Tuesday 1 – Lunar New Year
Sunday 6 – Time To Talk Day for Mental Health Awareness
Sunday 6 – International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
Monday 7 – Sexual abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week
Friday 11 – International Day of Women in Science
Monday 14 – St Valentines Day
Tuesday 15 – Pairinirvana (Buddhism) Commemorates the death of Buddha and his attainment of final nirvana.
Tuesday 15 – Chinese Lantern Festival
Thursday 24 – Eating Disorder Awareness week (ends March 2nd)
Monday 28 – Rare Disease Day

March 2022

Women’s History Month

Tuesday 1 – St David’s Day
Tuesday 1 – Shrove Tuesday (Christianity)
Tuesday 1 – Self Injury Awareness Day
Wednesday 2 – Ash Wednesday (Christianity) Marks the beginning of Lent
Wednesday 2 – World Wildlife Day
Thursday 3 – World book day
Saturday 5 to Saturday 12 – International Women’s Week
Tuesday 8 – International Women’s Day
Monday 14 – Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Wednesday 16 – Purim (Judaism) Commemorates the survival of ancient Persian Jews who were marked for death. Begins sundown.
Thursday 17 to  Friday 18 – Holi (Hindu) Festival of colour that welcomes spring and the new harvest.
Sunday 20 – World Down Syndrome Day
Sunday 27 – Mother’s Day (UK)
Thursday 31 – International Day of Transgender Visibility

April 2022

Saturday 2 – Ramadan (Islam) A month of fasting, introspection and prayer.
Saturday 2 – World Autism Awareness Day
Thursday 7 – World Health Day
Sunday 10 – Palm Sunday (Christianity) commemorates Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem.
Thursday 14 – Maundy Thursday (Christianity) marks Jesus’ Last Supper.
Thursday 14 – Vaisakhi (Sikh) Sikh New Year
Friday 15 to Saturday 23 – Passover (Judaism) 7 day festival that remembers the freeing of the Israelites from Egypt.
Friday 15 – Good Friday (Christianity) Commemorates Jesus’ Crucifixion
Sunday 17 – Easter Sunday (Christianity) Commemorates Jesus’ resurrection
Friday 22 – Earth Day
Saturday 23 – St George’s Day

May 2022

Monday 2 – Eid al-Fitr (Islam) Marks the end of Ramadan.
Monday 2 to Sunday 8 – Deaf Awareness Week
Sunday 8 – Birth of Buddha (Buddhism)
Monday 9 to Sunday 15 – Mental Health Awareness Week
Monday 16 to Sunday 22 – National Vegetarian week
Tuesday 17 – International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
Tuesday 17 – Global Accessibility Awareness Day
Thursday 26 – Ascension Day (Christianity) Marks the 40th day after Easter when Jesus ascended into Heaven

June 2022

Pride Month

Thursday 2 – Ascension Day (Coptic Christian)
Saturday 4 to Monday 6 – Shavuot (Judaism) Marks the Wheat Harvest in Israel
Sunday 12 – Trinity Sunday (Christianity) Celebrates the three personifications of God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit)
Saturday 18 – Autistic Pride Day
Sunday 19 – Father’s Day
Tuesday 22 – Windrush Day

July 2022

Thursday 7  to Tuesday 12 – The Hajj (Islam ) The name for the annual pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca required for all Muslims at least once
Saturday 9 to Sunday 10 – Eid al-Adha (Islam) Commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to make sacrifices for his faith
Wednesday 13 – Asalha Puja / Dharma Day (Buddhism) Commemorates Buddha’s first sermon
Thursday 14 – International Non-Binary People’s Day
Saturday 30 – Muharram (Islam) Islamic New Year

August 2022

Tuesday 9 – International Day of the Worlds Indigenous peoples
Tuesday 23 – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
Sunday 28 – Hijiri (Islam) Beginning of the Lunar Year

September 2022

World Alzheimer’s Month

Sunday 4 – World Sexual Health day
Saturday 10 – World Suicide Prevention Day
Friday 16 – Yom Kippur (Judaism)
Saturday 24 to Tuesday 27 – Rosh Hashanah (Judaism) New Year. Begins at Sundown

October 2022

UK Black History Month
Global Diversity Awareness Month
UK Disability History month

Sunday 1 –  World vegetarian Day
Monday 10 – World mental health day
Monday 24 – Diwali
Monday 31 – Halloween

November 2022

Movember

Saturday 5 – Guy Fawkes Day / Bonfire night
Friday 11 – Remembrance Day
Sunday 20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance
Thursday 24 – Thanksgiving (USA)
Wednesday 30 – St Andrew’s Day

December 2022

Thursday 1 – World AIDS day
Saturday 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Saturday 10 – Human rights day
Sunday 18 – Start oh Hanukkah
Sunday 25 – Christmas day
Monday 26 – End of Hanukkah